Have your say on new vegetation laws

The job of farming and producing food in Queensland has become even harder with the introduction of new vegetation management laws into State Parliament last week.

The changes will mean the high value agriculture process is scrapped and new interim codes come into effect for thinning, fodder harvesting and managing certain types of regrowth.

The proposed laws will make it harder for farmers to grow food, shut down new agricultural development opportunities and lead to perverse environmental outcomes that could damage rather than improve regional landscapes.

The laws will also mean more red tape for farmers trying to feed their animals during drought.

Before the laws are voted on, a Parliamentary committee will receive submissions, hold public hearings and prepare a report.

We need as many farmers as possible to speak up about how they will be personally affected by the changes.

The Palaszczuk Government has allowed less than two weeks for landholders to digest the new laws and make written submissions, which are due by 12pm Thursday March 22.

More information about the committee’s inquiry and how to make a submission is available at http://bit.ly/2IjmU0H while AgForce has put up a template on our website to assist farmers to quickly and easily make their own submissions.

While AgForce’s immediate priority is the committee process, we are considering options for direct action as well in mid to late April.

We are also working with the National Farmers’ Federation to use their ‘Australian Farmers’ platform so you can email the Queensland Premier directly to express your opposition to the proposed changes.

More than 1300 people used this platform last year to tell the Defence Minister to retreat on her Department’s farm land grab and I’d like to see even more send a message to the Premier via https://farmers.org.au/veglaws

Please make your voice heard at this critical time and help us put a human face in front of the politicians making decisions that affect our lives and our livelihoods.